Hoy EAE IT
‘of the porch to the north, and three on the leftfide of it to the fouth: sthey three were of one meafare, one reed, or three yards and.a half {quare, as iny. 7. fee the note there: aud the pofis bad one meajure on this fide, and cn that Side; on the right and left, north and fouth of the inward gate of the porch, which meafure was two cubits, y¥. 9.
y¥. 11. And ke meafured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits, &c.| Five yards, two feet and a half: this was the meafure of the eafterngate, whether outward or inward; for they were both of a meafure, as appears from the threfholds being alike: and the length of the gate, thirteen eubits; that is, the height of it; it was feven yards and three inches high; a prodigious gate this! a fit emblem of our Lord Jefus Chrift, as the open door, the gate of life, thro’ which whoever enters fhall be faved; and there’s room for multitudes to enter.
y¥.12. The fpace alfo before the little chambers was one cubit on this fide, &c.] Or, a derder* of half a yard and three inches to the front of the chambers; where thofe that belonged to them might walk, or have feats to fit on; fuch a fpace there was before the three little chambers on: the north fide of the porch: and the Jpace was one cubit on that fide; a fpace or border of the fame meafure was to the front of the three little chambers on the fouth-fide of the porch: this may denote the chriftian liberty of the members of gofpel-churches; which they may ufe without any breach of piety towards God, or of charity one to another: and the little chambers were fix cubits on this fide, and Jix cubits on that fide; they. were of the fame meafure, thofe on one fide,. as thofe of the other, even fix cubits fquare; or one reed, which is the fame; fee ¥. 7. and the note there. ~ y. 13. He meafured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber, to the roof of another, 8cc. ‘That is, the whole porch, from the extreme part of the roof of ene of the little chambers on the northfide, to the extreme part of the roof of another of the little chambers on the-fouth: of the roof of thefe chambers, and the fpiritual meaning of it, fee the note on ¥. 7: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, reckoning fix cubits to one chamber on one fide, and fix to one chamber on the other fide, which make twelve; and a qubit and a half to each back-wall of the chambers on the north and fouth; or two cubits to the fpaces before the chambers, and a cubit and a half to each of the eaves of the chambers, which either way make fifteen cubits; and ten cubits the breadth of the gate; in all five and twenty cubits; or fourteen yards and three inches: door againft door; not the door of the outward gate againft the door of the inward gate; nor the door of one of the little chambers at the eaft, to the door of another at the weft, running leigth-ways, and fo affording a fight quite thro’ the temple; but the door of one of them on the north-fide, over-againft the door of another on the fouth, they anfweting exaétly to eaeh other; which ftill more confirms the fimilarity and equality of gofpel-churches; fee the note on ¥.7.
¥. 14. He made alfo. pots of threefcore cubits, &c,] Ferom thinks, that between the outward wall which furrounded this building, and the building itfelf, thee. pofts or pillars were placed for ornament, which took up the fpace of fixty cubits; but rather thefe defign the pofts or columns of the gate, which fupported the arch over it, on which. were rooms or ftories, and thefe were fixty cul high; for of their height is this meafure to be un? derftood. So the Targum, ** and he made potts, ‘¢ fixty cubits was their height;” in the Targum, in the Polglott Bible by Mentanus, it is, * ar “« he made fixty pofts, their height a cubit;” an to this agree archi and Kimchi, thefe were thirtyfive yards high, the height of the temple ordered to be built by Cyrus, Ezra vi. 3. The man that meafured is faid to make thefe pofts, he: being the builder, as well as the meafurer of this edifice; and might be faid to make thefe, as by meafuring he pointed out the fize and proportion of them: thefe pofts may defign the true members of gofpelchurches, fuch who are pillars in’ the houfe of God; of which fee more on ¥. 16. compare the phrafe of making thefe pofts or pillars with Rev. iii, 12: even unto the poft of the court round abouk the gate; that is, there was the fame meafure to every poft or pillar in every court, at every gate round about; at the fouthern and northern gates, as at this eaftern one; they were all exaétly of the fame meafure as the pofts in this; fo Farebi and Kimebi interpret it. oe oe y¥.15. And from the face of the gate of the en~ trance, &c.] That is, from the outward-gate as you went into the porch, and was to’ the ‘eaft, fo’ called from peoples paffing and repaffing °in it; fo Farchi takes it to be'the eaftern-gate 5 the Tar+ gum calls it the middle-gate: wxto the face of the porch of the inner-gate; which opened at the other end of the porch, into the outward court, and was to the weft: from gate to’ gate were jifty cubits; as he meafured the breadth of “the porch before, ¥. 13. here the length; ‘there ‘were three chambers fix” cubits’ long, which made eighteen; and between each chamber were’ five cubits, which were ten cubits; and the fpace be-. tween the chambers and the gates ‘at each end were fix cubits each; fee ¥. 8. which make twelve more; and then allow ten cubits for the thicknefs of both walls of each gate,-and there will be fifty cubits, or twenty-nine yards, and half a foot. ~~ * th ¥. 16. And there were narrow. windows to the. little chambers, &c.] The walls being floped both within and without, that the light let in might be fptead the more’: as thofe little chambers fignity the feveral congregated churches of Chrift in the fpel-difpeniation; fee the note on ¥. 7. fo thefe windows defign the word and ordinances therein adminiftered, which are the means of letting light into them 3 fee Cant. ii. 9. Jf liv. 12. and Ix. 8. in attending on thefe, the light of God’s countenance is enjoyed, which lies in the difcoveries of his love; in the manifeftations of himfelf; in his gracious prefence, and in communion with him; than which nothing is more defireable or delightful: thro’ thefe ordinances Chrift the fun of righ- © teoufnefs fhines in upon his people; he looks in at thefe windows, and fhews himfelf thro’ thefe lattices; he is feen thro’ the glafs of the gofpel; he is held forth in the ordinance of the and by means thereof the fouls of God’s peoj are enlightened, comforted and warmed: alfo in this way are communicated the illuminations of the Spirit, both at firft converfion, and in’ be difcoveries of the things freely given of God; of the do¢trines of the gofpel; of the bleffings of grace, and of the glories of heaven. The ¢ itfelf is a,great:and glorious light; andthe \minifters of it are the light,of the world, and of the churches; and by the) light being diffufed. thro” thefe little chambers, the churches, thofe who are in. them fee to walk on in-Chrift, as they have’ received.him, and becoming;his, gofpel;: and their profeffion of it; ‘and alfp fee to-work, not-for life, juitiGcation- and falvation, but to evidence their faith, and adorn, their profeffion;, to glorify God by their fhining lights; and to caufe others,to glorify him;, and by the; whole; ‘the, light.of. joy, peace, and comfort, is tranfmitted to all, the inhabitants of Zion.. Thefe windows are faid to ‘be; narrow, or fout, or clofed*;\ that is, comparatively, not abfolutely, for then they.would: be of no, ule. The ordinances of the gofpel-difpenfation, are: no doubt clearer, and the light of it larger, than of the Jegal)difpenfation, but this light! has been darkened by the papacy and tho’ it: increafed’at the Reformation, yet before the latter. day-glory will Break forth, it, will be as.a twilight,. neither clear nor dark, day, nor night;,.Zech. xiv. 6, 7. and! tho’ the Jight-that then will break out, will be exceeding great, as.the light of the fun, and that as the light of feven days, J/ xxx. 26. yet.in comparifon of the light,.of the new Ferufelem-f{tate, when. there will be-no need of the fun or moon, but the Lord willbe, the everlafting light of -his people; and) in comparifon of the ultimate glory, when the faints fhall: fee.face to face; ‘the light even of this difpenfation, will ‘be like what is let in at narrow windows; fee Rev. xxi. 235224525... 1 Cor: xiii. 12. And to their pofts within the gate round about;, that js, to the pofts of the doors that led. into thefe chambers; over the lintel of them, were. windows to let in light to thofe that.were entering them, ‘as well as were in them; and fo there were to all the chambers round about the porch on one fide,,.and the other, between the two gates: and likewife to the arches; or porches * 5 to thefe doors, to which there were windows giving light to thofe that paffed thro’: and the windows were round about inward;' in all the chambers within the grand porchs on the north and fouth:.a#d upon each po. were. palmtrees; that is, on every poft, column, or. pillar, belonging to the chambers; and very probably on | all the other before-mentioned, -¥..g, 10,:14.° thefe potts or pillars fignify, either. the minifters of the gofpel; fo called for their ftrength, being mighty in the fcriptures, able minifters of the New- Teftament,.capable of «etaining, and defend-' ing the truths. of the gofpel, and of bearing reproach and perfecution for them, and alfo the infirmities of weak believers; and for their ftability, being ftedfaft and immoveable.in the work. and caufe of Chrift, and not to be taken off from it, either, by the frowns or flatteries of. men; and for their ufefulnefs, in fapporting the caufe and intereft of the Redeemer, and the.minds of weak chriftians, as well as the glorious truths of the gofpel, and may with, great propriety be called the pillar and ground.of truth; fee Prov. ix. 1. 1 Tim. iii. 15. yea, all true believers, and proper members of the churches of Chrift, are pillars there, and fuch as fhall never go out, Rev. iii, 12, the word * ufed has the fignification of ftrength, as pillars fhould be ftrong; and fuch believers are, not in themfelves, but in Chrift, in his power and grace,.and_ thro’ his Spirit; whereby they.can do all things, performyall’ duties, exercife all grace, andiengage with all enemies.; They are:like pillars that! ftand firm and ftable; grounded in the: love of God; fecured in election-grace; -fettled in the evérlafting covenant 5 laid on the fure foundation Chrift; and eftablifhed i inthe: truths of the gofpel; fo. that they never go out of the heart) of God, thei hands of Chriit, the family of the faints, or church of God. They are as pillars';' fome more ufeful to fupport in an-external way the intereft of religion, giving liberally to the maintenance of minifters,, the relief of the poor,. and the-defraying of all-neceffary charges; and others to. {trive and contend, for, and fo maintain and preferve the truths and ordinances of the gofpel; and. others to comfort and confirm weak believers.; Now: on thefe pofts or pillars: were palm-trees painted, two on each, one on one fide, and one on the other, as: appears from ¥. 26. which are alfo an emblem of true believers in Chrift; fee P/i Xcii. 12. Cant. vii. 7, 8. comparable to them for their uprightnefs, Fer. x. 5. thefe looking upwards to Chrift by faith, and moving heaven-wards in their-affections and defires, and: being upright:in heart. and life; and for their bearing prefiures, and growing the moré under them, as the palm-tree does. Saints have reproaches, afflictions, ‘and - perfecution;, but they bear up under. all, and are-not left to defert the caufe they are engaged in; yea, grow the more hereby, in numbers and» grace, like the: children: of Ijrael, Exod. is 12. the forée of the: palm-tree is in its top or head, if that is taken away it dies: Chrift is the believers head, from him they have their life, grace, ftrength, nourifhment,; and fruitfulnefsi; could they be feparated from him, all would’ be «gone... The: palm-tree grows beft in funny places, is:fruitful, an ever-green, and lafts long: and fuch’are:the-people-of God; they grow moft under the warm beams of divine love, and rays of the fun of righteoufnefs; in the churches of Chrift, where the gofpel is preached,.and ordinances adminiftred, which make their hearts burn within them; they are fruitful in grace and good works, retain ‘their leaf of profeffion, and never perifh.. 'Qnce' more, the palm-tree is a token of joy and victory, and has-been’ ufed on fuch occafions, Lev. xxiii. 40. Fobn xii, 12, 13. Rev. viis 9. and may denote the victory and joy upon it, which faints have thro’ Chrift, over fin, fatan, the world, anddebths anion dew fise. Tigis y. 17. Then brought be me into the outward court, &c:}] ‘The divine and glorious -perfon. in human form, having brought the prophet up to the eaftern gate, and-thro’ it, and the porch that belonged to it, to the inner» gate of it; which lay weftward,; and having ameéafured that gate, its threfhold, the porch, the pofts or pillars, and little chambers in it; introduced him into a:fpacious piece of ground, that lay open to the air, and furrounded the whole building; and anfwers to.the court of the J raelites in the temple, where they worfhipped promifcu-
-oufly, good.and bad: and fo may defign the outward vifible ftate of the gofpel-church, confifting of good and bad, of wife and, foolith virgins;. like a field, that has both wheat and'tares in it; ora corn-floor that has wheat and chaff upon it; which in the latter day will. grow worfe and worfe, and be given to the Gentiles, Revs xi. 2. but fhall be t) dheved s&, braiias recovered 4 pdx in veltibulis, Vatablus, Mon. rea nce 9 secovered again, and! make a confiderable part of front of the lower gate, 8c.) That is, from the this fabrick, which reprefents the ftate of the church, and the outward adminiftration of the word and ordinances in it, and the vifible fellowfhip’ of the faints together in them: dnd Zo there were chambers; in the outward court, in various parts of it; which fignify, as before, vifible congregated churches, formed according to the order of the gofpel; in which the word is‘preached, ordinances adminiftered, and faints have fellowfhip one with another. It is a ‘different word here ufed from that in y. 7, ro;12, 16. and is‘by fome rendered, cells, ftorchoufes, treafuries ‘; and here the unfearchable riches of Chrift are preached, and the treafurés of wifdom and knowledge hid in him aré brought forth, and prefented to the: view of the faints) And a pavement made for the court round about; as this court went round about the whole building, fo there was‘ a pavement upon it all around. The word § ufed\has the fignification of a burning coal. Probably this pavement appeared as made of ftones of various colours, of black, white, and red, like a chequered work of black and white marble;) or as’ made of the porphyryftone; which is variegated with divers colours. This pavement was for thofe that dwelt in the chambers, to walk in,cand converfe together: and it may denote the walk of the faints, ‘both in the ordinances of the gofpel, and in their outward converfation, as becoming it; in love to them that are within, and in wifdom towards thofe that are without: and this is walking as on a) pavement, on firm ground, in a plain and even way, where there is no occafion of ftumbling; it is walking clean, in righteoufnefs and holinefs, and’ not in the mire and dirt of fin; and it is pleafanc walking in the courts of the Lord, and in the ways and paths of wifdom and’ beautiful it is to fee the faints walk harmonioufly and comfortably together here, converfing with each other, and building up one another upon their moft holy faith. § Lhirty chambers were upon a pavement, according to fome, fifteen oneach fide of the eaftern gate, as you came out of it into the court; or rather, according’ to Coccéius’s tables, thefe were all around the court, eight to the eaft, eight to the north, eight to the fouth, and fix to the weft; or as Villalpandus, feven to the eaft and weft each, and eight to the north and fouth apiece. This fuggefts, that there will be vifible congregated churches in the latter day in’ all parts of the world, eaft, weft, north, and fouth; fee If, xliii. 5,6.
¥. 18. And the pavement by the fides of the gates over-againft the length of the gates, was the lower pavement.\ That is, this pavement, which went along by every gate, and anfwered the length of them, and what appertained to them, eaft, weft, north, and fouth, was either lower than the pave- ‘ment in the inward court, adjoining to this, to which there was an afcent by fteps or the middle part of this. pavement rofe up in a convex form, and on all fides there was a declivity; by which means all filth was wafhed away, and it was kept clean, and always fit to walk on. ‘This diftinétion of a higher and lower pavement, whether on one account or another, may point out; the’ one, the believers walk by faith on Chrift; and the other, his walk in the ordinances of Chrift; and in all becoming converfation.
front of the inner eaftern gate before-mentioned,- y. 7. called the lower gate, in refpect of the gate” oppofite to it, which led into the inner court, to”
which there was an afcent of eight fteps; and’ which the Targum calls the middle gate, becaufe” it lay between: the’ eaftern outward gate; and the! gate of the inward court.’ Now there were from) hence, unto the fore front of the inner court without, an hundred cubits; to the outfide of the gate wasfuch a length, or fifty-eight yards and one foot: eaftward and northward; as fo it was from eaft to! weft, fo from north to fouth, and from fouth to” north; there was juft the fame diftance from the* gate’ that Jed into the outward court, to that which’ led into the inward court, on all fides; fee ¥. 2 3,276 a man may be a long while an outward court-worfhipper, before he is’ an inward court-worfhipper 5! the paflage thro’ the one to the other is long.
¥. 20. And the gate of the outward court that looked toward ibe north, &c.| Or the north gate of this building: having finifhed the 'dimenfions of} the eaftern gate, thofe of the north gate are taken.:? he meafured the length thereof, and the breadth there~ of; as he’ had the eaftern gaté, and which were the fame; and fo of the fouth gate, y. 24. which’ denotes the uniformity in religion in the latter day, in the-way of entrance into the churches,'and in. doétrine, difcipline, worfhip and ordinances. _
¥. 21. And the little chambers thereof were three on this fide, and three on that fide, &cc.| As in the eaftern gate,’ and the meafures the fame, ¥. 7. gofpel-churches in the latter day will be all on the famé plan, and niodelled according to the fame pattern, and be. in juft the fame order, one as another: and the-pofts thereof, and the arches thereof were after the fame meafure of the firft gate; thé eaftern gate: believers will be all pillars in the church of God, and partakers of the fame like precious’ faith: rhe length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits; fee ¥. 135 15.
¥.22\ And their windows, and their arches, and their palm-trees, were after the meafure of the gate that looked towards the eajt, 8cc.] #. 14, 16. fignifying, that the light of the churches, their privileges, and flourifhing condition, will be alike every where, as in one part of the world, fo in another; fee J/. lil, 8: and xi. 9. Dan. xii. 4: and they went up unto it by feven fteps; or ftairs, ¥. 6. the number of them is not there mentioned as here, but the fame in both; fee the note there: and the arches thereof were before them, the fteps;. or within them, as the Septuagint; the fteps led to the arches of the gate, or to the porch of it, which ‘were more inward.
¥. 23. And the gate of the inward court was over= againft the gate toward the north, and toward the eaft, &c.] Or, and as to the eaff”; that is, the north gate of the inner court, was directly oppofite
‘to the north gate of the outward court; juft as the eaftern gate of the inward court, was in a ftrait line oppofite to the eaftern gate of the outward court: and he meafured from gate to gate, an hundred cubits; from the north gate of the outward
‘court, to the north gate of the inward court; and it was exactly of the fame diftance from one another, as on the left fide; feey. 19. ¥. 24. After that he brought me toward the fouth, —
Yorg. Then be meafured the breadth from the fore &c.] Having taken the dimenfions of the eaft ad north gates, the prophet was had on the fouth fide of the building: and bebold; a gate toward the fouth; that.led to the fouthern part of this fabrick, and to the outward court there, exactly like the other two; there was ino differencein them, which: raifed the prophet’s wonder and attention; for, as Lipman” fays, ‘there’ was:no outward court in the fecond temple, but tothe eaft of the inward; and it ‘did not. encompafs the other fides; and fo the more wonderful: and he wieafured the.pofts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to thefe. meafures; the ‘meafures of the eaft.and north gates, which were juft: alike; for thefe all fignified but one gateway or door into’ the church below, into heaven above, or into the prefence of God here and hereafter, which is Chrift, Fobn xiv. 6. and x. 1,
4 ¥. 25. And there were'windows in it, and in the arches thereof round about, &c.] That is, in the little: chamibers, ‘tho’ not expreffed; and in the porches of them°on each fide, as you paffed from the outer to the inner gate » like thofe windows, that were-in' the. chambers; that were in the eaft and north gates): ¥. 7, 16, 22: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits, fee Vo 13-18
¥. 26. And there were feven Steps to go up to it,}
&c.] To the fouth gate;-as there were to the.eaft and north gates, ¥. 6,22: -and the arches thereof were before them; fee the note on ¥. 22: and it had palm-trees, one on this fide, and another on that fide, upon the pofts thereof; that is, on the pofts of this gate were palm-trees, two on each poft, one on one’ fide, and the other on the other: this verfe fhews us, how many palm-trees. were painted on the pofts, and how they were difpofed of; fee the note on ¥. 16.
y¥. 27. And there was a gate in the inner court toward the fouth, &c.] Which anfwered tothe gate of the outward court before-mentioned: and be meafured from gate to gate toward the fouth, an bundred cubits; from the gate of the inward court, to the gate of the outward court fouthward, were juft the fame dimenfions as in the eaft and north gates, and between their refpective ones, y. 19, y. 28. And he brought me to the inner court by the fouth gate, &c.] Having done with the outer court, eaft, north, and fouth, the prophet is brought into the inner court by the fouth gate, which was neareft to enter by. No mention is made of a weftern gate, yet there was one in Solomon’s temple; for there were porters appointed weftward by David, and fixed by Solomon, 1 Chron. ix. 24. 1 Chron. xxvi. 16, 18. but Fofephus ' fays, in the fecond temple the weftern part had no gate, but a continued wall; for thofe that came out of the captivity, as Kimchi on ¥. 5. obferves, built it (as much as they could) according to the form of what they faw in Ezekiel’s temple, which fhall be in time to come. And he meafured the fouth gate according to thefe meafures; the gate which Jed into the inner court; for the fouth gate, which led to the outward court, he had meafured before, ¥. 24.;
¥. 29. And the little chambers thereof, and the pofts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to thefe meafures, &c.| Thefe were at the gate of the inner _ court; and fo they ftand in Cocceius’s tables; and. were of the fame meafure with the little chambers, pofts, and arches, that were at the feveral outward gates before defcribed; and: defign the churches and members of them as fpiritual worfhippers, who befides the outward form, have the power of godlinefs::: and there were windows in it, and in the arches thereof round about, thefe are not faid to be narrow, as. the other; which perhaps may denote the’ greater and more. increafing light of the churches, minifters,. and members: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad’; that. is, the fpace or portico where thefe chambers were; and this: was.the fame: meafure with that where the: other chambers were, ¥. 13, 15,
¥. 30. And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, &c.] That is, highs; this was the height of them; thefe were the frontifpiece of the gate to the inner court without, and taced the ‘outward court, as appears by the following verfe; thefe were a kind of. portico over the eight fteps
‘to this gate after-mentioned; they were fourteen yards and three inches high, from the bottom to the top of them: and five cubits broads two yards
‘and a half, one foot and threes inches; and which very probably were the breadth of the fteps that came up to them: none. of thefe arches were in the fecond temple, as Lipman ™ obferves.
¥. 31. And the arches thereof were toward the outward court, &c.| And fo not within the gate of the inward court, but on the outfide of it, towards the outward court, at the front of the gate as you went in: and palm-trees were upon the pofts thereof, of the gate, or of thefe arches or portico’s; fignifying, that none fhould enter here but righteous perfons; this is the gate of the: righteous, Pf. cxviii. 19, 20. If xxvi. 2. fee the note on ¥. 16:: and the going up to it had eight fleps, one more: than the afcent to the outward gates; fome fay eight more, and make thefe to be fifteen, ane {werable to the fifteen fteps by which the Levites went up from the court of the women, to the court of J/rael", and fung upon them the fifteen fongs of degrees, mentioned in the P/a/ms: but here are only eight; and denote the gradual progrefs of believers in faith and holinefs; and that the nearer they come.to the holy of holies, the greater their proficiency fhould be, and more advances made in the knowledge of divine things.
¥. 32. And he brought me into the inner court toward the eaft, &c.| Into that part of it which lay to the eaft, having gone thro’ that which lay to the fouth: and he meafured the gate atcording to thefe meafures, that is, the eaftern gate of the inner court; for the eaftern gate that led to the outward court, he meafured firft, ¥. 6. and this was according to the meafure of that, and of the reft,
¥. 33. And the little chambers thereof, 8c.) Thefe, and what follow in this verfe, are exactly the fame with thofe of the fouth gate-of the inner court, ¥. 29.
y. 34. And the arches thereof were toward the outward court, &c.]} As thofe of the fouth gate, y. 31. and the palm trees on the pofts, and the fteps up to it, the fame as there.
Ve 355 36, 37. And he brought me to the north gate, &c.|} That is, of the inner court, for he had meafured before the north gate that led to the outward court, y. 20. and here the little chambers, pofts, arches and’ fteps, in all things agree with thofe of the other gates: what were obferved in ie different from thexreft, an account is given of. itin the following verfe. sho yi. 38. And the chambers, and the entrits thereof, were by the pofts of the gates, &c.| -Of the-north gate; the plural for the fingular; for: not at the other? gates, only ati the north gate were the facrifices flain.and wafhed;.asyunder thé Jaw,: only on the north fide of the altar, Lev. i. 115, now;:by the petts of this gate, or. at the entrance. of1it on one fide, ftood\a cell or chamber; and a door into it, as the words may be rendered; for they, are fingular in the text: cwbere they. wafbed the: burnt-offering; its legs and inwards, Lev.i. gy according to the law, there were lavers -in So/omon’s temple,: to wath the facrifices. in, 2 Chron. iv..6.,.but there was. no fuch cell or chamber there, for fuch a purpofe as here; and as this refers to-gofpel-times, andi to the church 'in, the latter day;:no.legal facrifice'can be intended here, which are all, abo-+ lithed but.this mutt be myttically and: fpiritually underftood, -and defigns né other than: the: facrifice of -Chrift, a. fweet-{melling favour to God: that this kind of offering was typical of the facrifice-of -Chrilt, is clear from Hed. xiii. 11,.12,.13. which whether of the herd, a bullock, reprefented Chrift in his ftrength and.laborioufnefs;-or of the flock, and was either a fheep, an emblem. of the innocence and patience of Chrift; ora goat, which | pointed him out as in:the Jikenefs, of finful -fleth, traduced as a finner, and made fo by imputation; or of fowls, turtle-doves, denoting his meeknefs and modefty; and all without fpot or. blemifh, fignified the. purity of ‘his nature and life; and thefe ‘being burnt with fire, were expreffive of the pain and fhame he endured, when he borg our fins, and the. wrath of God was-poured on him as: fire; the wafhing of the burnt-offering denotes the» purity of Chrift’s facrifice, being offered up without fpot... Some, as Polanus, have thought the. ordinance of baptifm is here defigned, as the Lord’s fupper is by the tables next mentioned; and. it is a note of Starckius upon;the paflage, that, ‘4 he ** who is wafhed in the divine laver,.may be; re- “©: galed with the heavenly feaft.”
¥. 39. And in the porch of the gate were twotables on this fide, and two tables.on that fide, &c. »This
is ftill the north-gate of the inward court, which had. a»porch’ that reached from the outward:to the inner. gate of it, in which were three little. chambers on‘ each fide, ¥. 36. between each of which were a {pace:of five cubits, ¥. 7. fo that there were two fuch {paces.on each fide; and in thefe {paces, as Starckius well, conjectures, thefe tables were placed, two on one fide, and two on the. other: the ufe of them was, te flay thereon the burit-offering, and the fin-offering, and the trefpafs-offering; all typical of the facrifice of Chrift:, concerning the burnt-offering, as {uch, fee the note jon, the preceding werle;.and as for the fin offering and trefpafsoffering, which in the Hebrew language fignity fin and guilt itfelf; they reprefented’ Chrift,. who had nofin in his“nature, nor ever did any in his life, yet was made fin for his people; having: all their fins laid upon him, with all. that belong unto, them, ‘orcare deferved by them:, thefe were, the one for errors, ftrayings, and fins of ignorance; the other for known and wilful. fins; and both! thew; that
Chrift is a facrifice for all forts of fin, even-for the moft vile and enormous: now thefe tables were for thofe facrifices to be flain upon them,. or to be; laid upon them being flain; and fignify in \go-) fpel-times the tablesot the: Lord, 1 Cor.x. 21. or, the ordinance of the Lord’s fupper; in which there. is notva reiteration, but a commemoration-of the facrifice of Chrift; here he is evidently fet forth: as crucified and: flain; chis death as.a/facrifice is. fhewn,\and held: forth:to-the: faith of the Lord’s: people, for their! joy and comfort; Gaf. oii. 131 1 Cor. xis 26.. SLnOW FiO.¥. 40. And atthe fide without, as one goeth up to, the entry of the north-gate, were two tables, &c.}; Or, the door of the north-gate °\; not: the firft, upom coming up the eight fteps;, but paffing thro’ thatgate, and: along the ‘porch where the, three little; chambers, and the: two:tables on each fide were, before-mentioned; and coming to the inmoft gate, which, opens. diréctly-into-the inward court,-on the outfide of that towards the altar, were. two other tables, for the fame ufe-as before: and on the other fide, which was at the porch of the gate, were two tables; there were two on one fide of the gate, and. two onthe other,:.that:is, the laft gate of the porch, in‘all eight tables3 four within -the;4paces, between the little\chambers in the porch, and four, as you come out of it, on each fide of. the laft ati ery oy 2h 1 NOS a hak. oF [; ¥.-g1 Four, tables were on this fide, and ‘four tables were on that fide, by the fide of the gate, &c.
Thefe.are the fame tables repeated, to‘ebferve more diligently the. fituation\ and ufe of them) there were four on the right hand, two between the little, chambers; in the porch;; and two om the outfide of, the: inmoft.gate; and there were’ four on} the. left, hand, two between the little chambers theré, andtwo.on the other fide of the faid gate:Jeight tables, whereupon they flew their facrifices 3 the four tables laft mentioned, ‘were for ‘the fame ufe as the four firlt; fee the note on ¥. 39. | ‘ast ods byatte ¥..42.: Mad the four tables were of »hewn- frome, &e.]»-Thefe are either the fame ‘tables as. before, the four that were on. one fide; and ‘the four that, were on the other; they were all made of hewn ftone:|in the fecond temple they were) made “of marble; fo it is faid in: the Mdi/nab *,.* the;marble ‘© tables were between the pillars;”” and they were madé of -marble, as the commentators ' fay, be-, caufe, that cools the -flefh; and prefervesit from corruption: they were both decent and durable; and may denote the continuance of the ordinance of the.Lord’s fupper till his fecond coming’; and which is a.decent and becoming ordinance, as well as perpetual: or thefe were other four tables, as. Cocceius thinks; and which he places without the porch, near the cell or chamber, where the burntoffering was wafhed, y. 38. and thefe; are faid to be for that,.as follows, for the burnt-offering; and alfo for the fin-offering, and for the trefpais-offer, ing, tho’ they are not mentioned: of @ cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad; jut a four-{quare and one cabit high; thele »were the dimenfions of each table: whereupon alfo they laid the inftruments, wherewith they flew the burnt-offering and the facrifice, the knives with which; they! flew the creatures offered, and cut them to pi the’ bowls and: bafons in which they recei blood; thefe were Jaid upon. the tables,. crifices were: and may fignify, that in nance of the Lord’s fupper, aré not or fented the facrifice of Chrift, but thé means, inftruments, caufés, and occafion of it; the fins of his people, for which he was wounded and bruifed in his body, and with which he was pierced in his foul; and here we may look on him whom we have thus pierced, and mourn; and yet. rejoice, that there is healing by his ftripes, pardon by his blood, and atonement by his facrifice.
¥. 43. And within were books, an. band broad, faftened round about, &c.] Thefe very: probably were faftened on the pofts ofthe gate, near which were the wafhing-room for the’ facrifices, ¥. 38. on which they were hung, when they were flead, ~ or the fkin took off: in the flanghter-houfe in the fecond temple, to the north of the altar, there were eight low ftone pillars; upom which were boards of cedar four-{quare, and iron hooks were fixed in them; and there were three rows of them in each, on. which they hung the facrifices ', which were one above another; on the: loweft they hung a lamb, on the middlemoft aram, and on the higheft a bullock; thefe- hooks ftood out an hand’s breadth from the pillars: fuch-like iron hooks were fixed on the walls and pillars inthe court; where they flew the paffover-lamb, on which they hung it, and fkinned it‘: this may denote either, as Coccezus fuggetts, the exaltation of Chrift, who fuffered and was raifed for our juftification; or rather the lifting of him up, and holding him forth to view, as a fuffering Saviour, in the miniftry of the word, and in the ordinance of ‘the fupper. And upon the tables was the fieh. of the offering; here another word is ufed, and may defign. that. part of the flefh of the finoffering, that was eaten by the prieft, Lev. vi. 25, 26. fo that thefe tables were feafting tables alfo; as the table of the Lord, or the ordinance of the Lord’s fupper is, a feaft. of fat things, a feaft of love; a table where the flefh of Chrift is laid, which is meat indeed, and only to be fed upon by thofe that are made kings and priefts unto God. Now thefe tables being many, fhew that there will be a large number of gofpel-churches every where; and wherever they are, there will be tables: the ordinance of the Lord’s fupper will be celebrated in the four parts of the world; at prefent it is chiefly in the northern part, and where thefe tables were feen in this vifion.;
¥. 44. And without the inner gate were the chambers of the fingers, &c.| Thefe fingers are true believers in Chrift, members of gofpel-churches; whofe duty and privilege it is to fing pfalms, hymns, and fpiritual fongs; which is a part of internal, fpiritual, and evangelical worfhip, Epé. v. 19. Col. iii. 16. thefe are the fpiritual harpers, that have harps in their hands, and make melody in their hearts, and are able to fing the fongs of electing, redeeming, calling, pardoning, juftifying, and adopting grace;,thefe defervedly have a place in the churches of Chrift, in the inward court, being inward court-worfhippers, even all {uch who fing with the fpirit and the underftanding; for thefe chambers were in the inward court: the prophet being brought thro’ the inner northern gate, into the open fpace between the inward court, faw thefe chambers; for it follows, zu the inner court which ‘was at the fide of the north gate, in that part of the court which lay near the north gate, where now the prophet and his guide were: and their profpelt was toward the fouth, that is, fome of thefe chambers, one row of them, were by the fide of the north gate, and thefe faced the fouth; north and fouth being oppofite to each other + oné at the fide -of the eaft gate, having the profpett toward the north, another row of chambers for the fingers, was in that part of the-inner court which was on the fide of the eaft gate, on the north fide of it, and fo faced the north part of the court. The Septuagint verfion,.if -admitted,. makes the fenfe of it more clear, but different, ‘* -and-he ** brought me into the inner. court, and. behold two chambers in the inner court; one at the back..of the gate that looks to the north, bearing to the fouth; and one at the back of.the gate to the fouth, looking to the north.” ¥. 45. And he faid-anto me, &c.] The illuftrious perfon that appeared in an human form, meafuring the feveral parts of the temple, faid to the prophet, as follows: this: chamber, whofe profpedt 1s toward the fouth; the row of chambers that were on the fide of the north gate, facing the fouth; is for the priefis, the keepers of the charge of the houfe; that obferve the keeping of it; obferve all the laws and ordinances of God’s houfe; and ate careful that the worfhip of God may be maintained and’preferved, to his glory, and their mutual ‘edification; and which is, or fhould be, the concern, not of minifters only, but of all true believers, who are priefts unto God;. that prefent their bodies and fouls.before him, as'a holy, living, and acceptable facrifice, which’is their reafonable fervice; and offer, up the fpiritual facrifices of prayer and praife to him, thro’ Chrift, Rev. i. 6. 1 Pet. ii. 5. Rom. Xi. I. |
¥. 46, And the chamber, whafe profpedt is towards the north, &c.| The row of chambers on the fide of the eaft gate; that fide of it that was towards the north, and which the chambers init faced: is for the priefis, the keepers of the charge of the altar, the minifters of the gofpel, that take care of the altar, of public worfhip; that preach the gofpel, and adminifter ordinances; and who are to be taken care of themfelves, and live of the go: {fpel, and have every thing provided for them that is neceffary, 1 Cor.ix. 13, 14: thefe are the fons of Zadok, among the fons of Levi; thefe Levites or priefts were of the family of Zadok; who defcended trom aroun, and was the eldeft houfe of Aaron, to whom the priefthood belonged; tho’ it had been ufurped a long time by the family of Jthamar, but in Solomon’s time, Abiathar of that family was dif pofiefled of it, and Zadok was placed in his ftead, whofe name fignifies ju? or righteous; and was a type of Chrift, the holy and juft one, whofe fpiritual children and offspring are here meant: which come near to the Lord to minifter unto him; both preachers and people, who have near accefs to God thro? Chrift, and minifter before him in holy things, in praying, preaching, adminiftring ordinances, and attending on the fame. P y. 47. So he meafured the court, &c.] _ The inward court, where the prophet and his guide now were; and the gates leading to which he had beea meafuring, with the chambers, arches, and tables belonging thereunto: au hundred cubits long, and an. hundred cubits broad, four-fquare; the floor or area of this court, which was an hundred cubits in length and breadth; fo that it was a perfect fquare, equilateral, eaft, weft, north, and sar ans and above fifty yards each ways fuch a court as never was in any temple whatever: hence Kimchi obferves, there was no fuch court in the fecond temple; no, nor in the firft neither: in the fecond temple, the length of the court of J/rael, according to Abarbinel, was a hundred and thirty-five cubits, and the breadth eleven, but this was a hundred by an hundred; thefe things, fays Lipman *, ’ ‘are wonderful in my eyes: this denotes the large increafe of the church, and of fpiritual worfhippers, in the latter day; and the four-fquare of at, fignifies the order, perfection, and ftability of it; fee Rev. xxi. 16: and the altar'that was before the houfe; the altar of burnt-offering, which ftood before the houfe or temple, in the midft of the inward court; fo that it might be feen by all.in the inward court and chambers; and even by all in the outward court, thro’ the feveral gates, which directly opened and led to it. ‘This was typical of Chrift, the altar, we chriftians have a right to eat of; which fanctifies every gift offered upon it, and which every worfhipper fhould by faith look unto for the expiation of their fins. ‘The dimentfions of this altar-were now taken, and are given in ch. xiii. 13—17. ¥. 48. And he brought me to the porch of the houfe, &c.] Having paffed thro’ the inner court, and meafured that; he came to the body of the fabrick, the principal part of it, the houfe or temple; to the porch that led into it. Here of right a new chapter fhould begin, for this and the next verfe more properly de/ong to the following chapter. This porch was a large roof, and was-a covering both from cold winds and ftorms, and from the fcorching heat of the fun; and was an emblem of Chrift, the hiding place from the wind, and the covert from the tempeft of divine juftice and vengeance, and the wrath of God; and from the heat of a fiery law, of fatan’s fiery darts or temptations, and of the perfecutions of men: it was alfo, as is thought, a place for the priefts to pray in, before they went into the temple; as Chrift is the -way.in which the priefts of the Lord go unto him, and pray before him; in whofe name, and ‘for whofe righteoufnefs-fake, they prefent their fupplications to him. Aud measured each poft of the porch, fivé cubits on this fide, and five cubits on that fide; thefe pofts ftood, one on the north fide of the porch, and the other on the fouth, and were each five cubits thick: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this fide, and three cubits on that fide; this gate fignifies Chrift, the door, or gate, or way of,entrance into the fpiritual temple, the church, Fobn x. 1,7, 9. and it had tworleaves, that on the north was three cubits broad, and:that on the fouth was of the fame meafure: this twoleaved gate may fhew, that both ews and Gentiles being converted, may-enter into the gofpel-chureh3 as they will in the latter day, when the Yews fhall be called, and the fulnefs of the Gentiles-brought in; here will be an open door fet; the gate will be wide enough to let them all in, Rev. 18, 9g. ~
¥. 49. The length of the porch was twenty cubits, &c.] From eaft to weft; trom the firft gate of it; to the aft, which led directly into the houfe-or tem=- ple: and the breadth eleven cubits; which may be thus accounted for; two cubits a-piece being allowed for each poft, and three for each leaf of the door that were hung upon them, and one for the upright poft in the middle on which they fhut; in all eleven: and he brought me dy the fleps, whereby they went up to it; as there was an afcent of feven {teps to the feveral. gates that led into the outward court; and another of eight fteps, which led from.
that to the gates of the inner court; fo there was an afcent from the inner court, to the porch of,the houfe or temple; but how many fteps there were, is not faid. The Septwagint and Arabic verfions read ten fteps; and the Vu/gate Latin verfion eight fteps.. According to the Mi/nzh “, there were twelve in the fecond temple;. fo fay Farcht and Kimchi, with whom Fo/ephus * agrees. Cocceius thinks there could not be more than two, fince the ground of the inward court and temple were continued; but as their number is not given, a determination can-. not be made; only it may be obferved, that the faints progrefs in the knowledge of Chrift, andof.
divine things, and in faith and holineds, is. gradual. And there were pillars by the pojis, one on this fide, and another on that fide; one on the north fide, and the other on the fouth,.fomewhat like the two pillars of Fachin and Boaz in Solomon’s temple; which, fome apply to the ordinances of the gofpel, faints partake of at their entrance into the gofpel-church;. but rather they are an emblem of Chrift, the fupporter of his church, and of all thofe that aright enter into it; and who, through his grace and ftrength, become pillars there alfo, Rev. iii, 12. he is their ‘achin, who eftablithes them on himfelf, the fure foundation; and their Boaz, in whom their ftrength is, and from whom they have it te exercife grace, difcharge duty, and perfevere to the end.
ie this chapter, the divine and illuftrious perfon, the prophet’s guide, brings him to the temple itfelf} and gives the dimenfions of the pofts and doors, both of the holy, and the moft holy place, ¥. 1, 2, 3, 4. then of the wall of the houfe, its fide-chambers, the winding about to them, and the doors of them, y. 5—11. next of a building before the feparate place, its door-pofts, narrow windows, and galleries, y. 12—17, after that the feveral ornaments of the houfe are defcribed, y¥. 18 —21. then the altar of incenfe, y. 22. and the chapter is concluded, with obferving the decorations.and lights on the doors, porch, and fidechambers of the temple and fancuary, y. 23° —26.
y. 1. Afterward he brought me to the temple, |
&c.] Having meafured the porch into it, its pofts and gate. ‘This is the body of the building, which was the frame of a city firft fhewn, the Eitan fabrick; for hitherto he had been only meafuy the outward and inner courts, and their gates, a what were in them; but now he is come to the houfe itfelf, called a temple; by which, not only par-
Chadve ado - Ei A BUR Ww SE xe.
ftate in general, Zech. vi. 12, 13. and efpecially as in the latter day; fo the Pdilade/phian churclr-itate, which répreients the fpiritual reign of Chriit, or fome think that the fide-walls of the door are meant, as in y. 2. which were each feven cubits; and the breadth of the door fix cubits, made twenty the glory of the latter day, is called the -temple of my Ged, Rev. iii, 12. which will be: an holy temple to the Lord; where he will dwell in a gracious manner, and be worfhipped in {pirit and in truth; and here his glory will be feen; it will be built up of ‘precious ana coitly ftones, even living and lively ones; a fpiritual-houfe to offer up the
. fpiritual facrifices of prayer and? praile: and, as in the material temple or holy place ftood the candleftick and table of fhew-bread; here the light of the goipel will burn clearly; and Chrift the bread of lite be held forth in the ordinance.of the fupper; where, as at a table, faints fhall have intimate fellowfhip with him: and meafured the pojts, fix cubits broad on the one fide, and fix cubits broad on the other fide, thefe were the pofts of the door of the temple, and ftood on each fide of ‘it, on the north and fouth; and this was the thicknefs, -fix cubits or a reed each, three yards and a half; this was the frontifpiece of the door of the palace of the King of kings: which was the breadth of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of Mojfes; that is, thele pofts, or this trontifpiece were as broad as the whole tabernacle of Mofes was; which had eight boards in the breadth, each board being a cubit and a half, made twelve cubits, juft the breadth of thefe two pofts, Exod. xxvi. 16, 25. this’ fhows how tar fuperior the gofpel-church is to the old fynagogue; how larger is the one, and the entrance into it wider, than‘the other. Some underftand by the tabernacle the upper lintel, of the fame breadth with the pofts; and was in a recurve, and as a covering to the door; fo the Fewi/h commen: tators, and others that follow them.
v2. And the breadth of the door was ten cubits, &c.]. The temple-door: great care is taken to obferve and give the dimenfions of the doors and gates of various places; to put us in mind of Chrift the door and gate into the church, and into fellowfhip with God: this was as broad again as the door of Solomon’s temple; for that was but the fourth part of the wall of it, five cubits, 1 Kings vi. 1,33: end the fides of the door were five cubits on the one fide, and five cubits on the other fide, the fide-walls of the door, both on the north and fouth, were five cubits each; which, with the ten, the breadth of the door, made twenty; and is juft the breadth of the temple or holy place afterwards given: and be meafared the length thereof forty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits; that is, the length of the temple from. eaft to weft, and the breadth of it from north to fouth, were of this meafure; which exactly anfwers to the dimenfions of Solomon’s temple, a figure of the gofpel-church, as this; fee 1 Kings vi. 2, 17.
¥. 3. Then went be inward, &c.] Thro’ the temple or holy place he had meafured,’ to the holy
~ of holies: and meafured the poft of the door two
cubits; this was the door into the moft holy place; there was one in Solomon’s temple; but in the fecond temple there was none; but two veils inftead of it, which were rent at the death of Chrift; and two cubits’ was the thicknefs of the poft, on which this door was fhut: and the door fix cubits, and the breadth of the door feven cubits, this. door was.a two-leaved one; each leaf confifted of three cubits broad, and the poft in the:middle on which they fhut one cubit broad, which made feven: tho’ ate cubits; which was the breadth of the. moft holy place, as anfwering to the breadth of the holy place, as in the next verfe.
M4. So he meafured the length thereof twenty cus bits, &c.) That is, of the moft holy place fromy ealt to weft; which was the meafure of it in So/omon’s temple, 1 Kings vi. 20: and the breadth twenty cubits before the temple; that is anfwerable or ac« cording to the breadth of the temple or holy place; which was alfo twenty cubits in breadth: this ftood at the weft-end of it, and was equal,in breadth to it; fee 1 Kings vi. 2,20: and he faid unto me, this is the moft holy place; the divine perfon in human. form {aid to the prophet, take notice of this building; this anfwers to the moft holy place in the temple. This was an emblem of the moft holy and pertect ftate of the church on earth; it repre« ients the new Ferufelem church-ftate, that holy city, and into which nothing fhall enter that defiles; and, as in the moft holy place, the divine Shekinab or majefty of God dwelt; fo here will dwell in perfon the God-man and Mediator, the head of the church, our Lord Jefus; whofe tabernacle will now be with men, in this perfect, {tate, raifed from the dead, and he will dwell among them: and as this moft holy place in its dimenfions is a four-fquare, fo is the holy city deicribed; denoting its ftability and perfection; fee Rev. Xxi. 2,3, 16, 27.
¥. 5. After be meafured the wall of the houfe fix cubits, &e.] —Or a reed, three yards and a half thick: this was the wall of the holy of holies, or which divided that from the holy place, and was not inthe fecond temple; or rather the wall of the temple, the whole houfe or building, both of the holy place, and of the moft holy, which were. contiguous: fuch a ftrong wall is the Lord to his church, and efpecially will be in the latter day, when falvation will be for walls and bulwarks againft all enemies, and to preferve from all hurt and danger, J/. xxvi. 1. and Ix. 18. Zech. ii. 5. the new Ferufalem alfo will have a wall great and high, and made of a precious ftone, Acv. xxi. 12,
18: and the breadth of every fide-chamber four cubits round about the boufe on every fide; or, of every riby; as ribs are to the body, fo were thefé fidechambers or buildings to the fabrick, as Ben Melech obferves, who interprets them of beams: adjoining to the above wall were chambers all around. the holy place and the moft holy on each fide, north and fouth; for there could be none on the eaft, that being the entrance into the
‘holy, and fo into the moft holy place; and the floor of thefe chambers were four cubits, or two yards and a foot broad; that is, thofe of the lower {tory: thefe were for the priefts, where they lodged, and laid up, and ate their mott holy things, and
‘put their garments in which they miniftred; fee ch. xlii. 13, 14. and defign, as the chambers every where do, particular congregated churches; where fuch as are made priefts to God by Chrift have a place, and communion with God in holy things; and appear in the righteoufnefs of Chrift, and in the beauties of holinefs. y¥. 6. And the fide-chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order, &c.| There were three ftories of them, and thirty in every ftory, in all ninety; there were fuch chambers round about about “Solomon’s’ temple;-'and fo many-'ftories: of them, tho’ their. number is not exprefied, 1 Kings vi: 536. but Fofephus * fays, they were thirty, arid éne above another, three ftories of them, as here. Some think twelve were on the north-fide, twelve on the fouth, and fix on the weft; or fifteen on the north; and fifteen on the fouth. The Adi/nic doctors * fay, there-were thirty-eight an the fecond temple, fifteen on the north-fide, fiftcen on the fouth, and eight on. the -welt. The Yargum is, <<. the chambers were chamber over chamber thirty- ‘¢ three, eleven ina row;” and fo fome » underftand it, that they were in all. but thirty-three, eleven in the firft ftory, as many in the fecond, and the fame number inthe third; and place them four in the north, four in the fouth, and three in the weft, fo Starckius; but the firft account feems beft. This denotes the number of churches in gofpel-tinies, efpecially in the latter day; when there will be large converfions, and room enough for all the converts: and‘as there are many manfions in heaven for all the faints; fo there will be room enough in the new ‘Jeru/alem,. the more perfect ftate of the church on earth, tovhold the whole palm-bearing company, whofe number. no man can number; 2nd all the nations of ‘them that are faved, who will walk in the light of it, Rev. vil. 9. and xxi. 24: and they entered into the wall which was of the houfe for the fide-chambers, round about, that they might have bold, but they had not hold in the wall -of the houfe, the beams of the floors of thofe fide-chambers refted indeed upon the wall of the houfe which was built for them; but were. not inferted into it, or laid in it, as we fee in fome buildings; but there:were projections or buttrefles in the wall, or what are called narrowed refts, 1 Kings vi. 6. or rebatements of the breadth of a cubit, on which they were laid and refted’; and fo it was in the upper ftories, as in the lowermoft; there being an abatement of a cubit in the thicknefs of the wall in each ftory, as in the following verfe. This fhows the firmnefs of this fpiritual building refting upon fuch a wail and fuch buttrefies as God himfelf is to it; fee the note on y. 5.
. ¥. 7. And there was an enlarging, and a winding about fill upward to the fide-chambers, &c.| Thefe chambers, as they rofe up in ftories one above another, were larger and larger; thofe in the middiemoft ftory were larger than thofe in the lower ftory by a. cubit,; fo much being taken out of the thicknefs of the wall, to make the refts or rebatements for the beams of the floor to reft upon, by which fo much was gained in breadth for the chambers; and thofe in the upper ftory, for the fame reafon, were a cubit broader than thofe in the middle, and two cubits broader than the lowermoft; the floor of the firft and lower ftory was four cubits broad, ¥. 5. the floor of the fecond five-cubits; and the floor of the third or uppermoft fix cubits. The wall of the temple at the bottom was fix cubits thick, ¥. 5. at the middlemoft ftory five cubits; and at’ the uppermoft four: and all this may*denote the enlargement of the ehurch of Chrift, as it comes nearer the heayenly itate; the prefent ftate of the church may be fignified by the-lower ftory, where the chambers are narroweft; the ftate of the church in the latter day-glory, or fpiritual reign of Chrift, by the middlemoft, when it will be enlarged; its converts being very numerous, J/ xlix: 19, 20. and/Ix.-4, 5.